Sampson Nanton
Deputy Managing Editor
Former journalist, communications specialist and mental health advocate Charlene Stuart was given her final rites yesterday in a heartfelt, tearful funeral service at the Love and Faith Church World Outreach Ministries in Sophia, Guyana.
Stuart, 45, died on July 20, prompting an outpouring of tributes from family, friends, and former co-workers from across the region.
Among those attending the funeral was former journalist and minister of communications Maxie Cuffie, who broke down several times as he described how Stuart never gave up on him and went out of her way to ensure he received proper help after he suffered a stroke, which left him with a speech impediment.
He said Stuart organised classes with a speech coach, the late, renowned broadcast journalist Barbara Assoon.
“And every day I would go by Barbara Assoon for classes and to get my elocution properly. As the minister of communications, Charlene always sat in a prominent place to give me directions when I’m speaking. So, the fact that I can speak to you all today...” he said, before his voice became emotionally inaudible.
Cuffie recalled that in 2017, when he left the government, many believed he would simply fade away, but Stuart always believed he would bounce back.
He shared that while he was residing in Washington, DC, Stuart—who was on a work trip to New York—made her way to his home to spend some time with him and his wife.
“She brought so much joy and laughter to the house,” he said, before his voice broke again while wiping away tears.
Stuart’s professional life began at the Guyana Airways Corporation before she transitioned into print media with Stabroek News and then Kaieteur News in Guyana.
In 2003, at just 23 years old, she made a life-changing move to Trinidad and Tobago, where she entered broadcast journalism with CCN TV6 before joining Guardian Media’s CNC3 newsroom in 2005.
Armed with a Diploma in Communications from the University of Guyana and a Master of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Edinburgh, Stuart’s communications career in T&T spanned several major government and state agencies.
These included the Government Information Services Limited (GISL), the Tobago House of Assembly, the Ministry of Communications, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Housing Development Corporation.
Her close friend and former co-worker, Colleen Holder—now director of Corporate Communications and Productions at the Office of the Parliament—reflected on a high point in Stuart’s career while she was a producer at GISL.
“During her tenure producing The Inside Story, it attained the distinction of being the only government programme ever to be in the number one television viewer spot, and that record stands today. So, Charlene was a consummate professional who knew her job,” Holder said.
As her close friend, Holder also recalled Stuart’s personal flair.
“She would have flowers and art in every apartment that she lived in over the years, and was always someone filled with lots of laughter and shenanigans.”
She described Stuart as meticulous and uncompromising when it came to standards.
Holder added, “She embodied the CSME (Caricom Single Market and Economy) ethos—the best of the Caribbean giving of their best anywhere in the Caribbean.”
Family members who spoke at the farewell described Stuart as brilliant, stylish, and courageous, and said her legacy would live on “through the stories she wrote, the artwork she created and the meals she cooked.”
One of her sisters, Afeefah Beharry remembered Stuart’s concise way of speaking, saying she would have a word for those who went on too long.
“Like you just recited the entire Dictionary for fun? Keep it simple. We’re not rewriting an entire Shakespeare monologue,” she said of Stuart.
Another family member reflected on her multidimensional gifts and signature elegance.
“Charlene was a Renaissance woman, painting in Trinidad, cooking with flair, styling homes, doing make-up, dressing elegantly, she did it all and did it impeccably. She didn’t just follow trends, she set them. She was also the family’s walking encyclopedia... if she didn’t know the answer, she’d research it and come back with facts.”
Family members also honoured her courage as a mental health advocate.
After being diagnosed with clinical depression during the COVID-19 pandemic, Stuart openly shared her journey on social media—helping to destigmatise mental health conversations in the region.
They encouraged those who loved her to remember her vibrantly, “because Charlene would remind us, the occasion is life itself.”
“Rest well, Charlene. You did it beautifully, and you did it your way,” another sister said.
A video tribute in her honour highlighted her deep love for family, noting how she remained closely connected through phone calls, messages, and surprise visits, even after leaving Guyana for Trinidad.
Stuart grew up in Georgetown, Guyana, and was a member of the National School of Dance.
In her youth, she was also an active member of the Love and Faith Church World Outreach Ministries dance team.
She excelled academically at both the primary and secondary levels, was a school prefect and debater, and competed in sports as a long-jumper and runner, according to her family.
Following the funeral, she was cremated at the Memorial Gardens in Guyana.
Editor’s Note: The writer of this article worked closely with Charlene Stuart during her time at CNC3 Television and previously at CCN TV6. He remembers Stuart as a diligent and persuasive journalist, and as an affable, jolly and humorous person. As a former employee of Guardian Media, condolences go out from our editorial staff to all Charlene's family members, friends and former colleagues at this time.